


Whale Song

by jadu_cheodo



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Jihoon and Wonwoo are literal cats, M/M, Soonyoung is the most competent and least competent doctor ever, magic but low key kinda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:02:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28523643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadu_cheodo/pseuds/jadu_cheodo
Summary: Mingyu finds a man washed up, a gift from the winter sea...
Relationships: Kim Mingyu/Lee Seokmin | DK
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is essentially set in Howl's Moving Castle time (not set in the world, just the vague Ghibli time)... so 1930 meh... everything is pretty and Mingyu runs around looking like a pretty fisherboy with a secret, and Soonyoung has sleeve garters and a little vest, and Verkwan will happen, I promise, and it'll be cute...  
> What is Seokmin though?  
> Will I ever tell you?  
> Idk...
> 
> Also, it isn't touched on much, but Mingyu has trauma related to fires and shipwrecks, if any of that triggers you please don't read.

Mingyu has always loved the sea.

He wakes slowly, keeping his eyes closed to better tune into the distant ebb and flow of waves lapping against sand. His wind chimes tinkle on the porch, mixing with the sparse cry of gulls to be delivered to his ears on a gust of cold wind that rattles his windows.

He peels his eyes open, wiggling his toes as his eyes adjust to the dim.

One of the two cats sleeping at the foot of Mingyu’s bed wakes, turning to him and blinking its large golden eyes as Mingyu sits up, reaching down to stroke its cheek.

“Morning Wonwoo-ya, did you sleep well?”

The cat purrs, nudging Mingyu’s hand before turning and starting to groom the other cat, who’s still asleep.

Mingyu cracks his neck, enjoying the way his muscles groan as he stretches them awake. He swings his feet over the floor, wrinkling his nose as his toes immediately feel cold.

The desire to get back in bed is strong, but the indigo sunrise and the gulls have their own pull, and part of that is the promise of food, so Mingyu gets up, joints popping as he stretches again.

He puts on his thickest wool pants, a couple layers of coats, and the cleanest pair of socks he can find, hopping around on one foot as he pulls a sock on. He crashes into his table and winces, rubbing his ankle.

The second cat wakes, poking its white head over Wonwoo’s side and glaring at Mingyu, who smiles apologetically.

“Sorry Jihoonie, go back to sleep.”

Jihoon’s tail thwacks Mingyu’s blankets, Mingyu tosses his trowel into his basket and winces,

“I’ll give you one of my clams, don’t be grumpy.”

As if he’s comprehended Mingyu’s offering Jihoon’s tail stills, he yawns, stretching his paws into Wonwoo’s black fur. Mingyu coos at them, ignoring Jihoon’s glare and tugging his boots on as his stomach beckons him out the door.

A gust of wind greets him the moment he wrenches his door open. Mingyu sniffles, watching his breath send puffs of fog into the morning air.

He picks his way down the path to the shore carefully, taking a break every now and again to wonder at the sunrise, the purple in the sky fading into the palest blue close to the horizon. Mingyu can still see a few stars and he briefly wonders if it’s too late to wish on them.

The beach is cold, the winter sea harsh as it berates the shore. Mingyu crunches along, eyes downcast as he looks for the telltale air holes that betray clams hiding in the sand.

He thumps the sand with his feet, ecstatic when tiny streams of water pop out next his shoe. He squats, retrieving his trowel and digging the clams out, tossing them into his basket as he goes.

When he can’t find any more he stands, rubbing his knees and eyeing the pile of shells warily.

It’s not enough.

Mingyu stares into the sea, rubbing his belly absently. He has some potatoes left, and there’s always seaweed and dried fish in his cellar. Soup sounds good.

He blinks, light spots sticking behind his eyelids from the glare. Up a ways there’s a tangled mess of kelp, the waves foaming through the mass as they come and go.

Mingyu toes the sand, weighing his options; there might be small crabs there, but he doesn’t have his gloves and being pinched hurts. 

His stomach rumbles at him, he supposes being pinched doesn’t hurt too much.

He’s halfway to the kelp lump when he spots the arm and freezes, cold sweat coating his already chilled hands. Part of him, a large part of him, wants to turn and run home, food be damned. Images of bloated, grey bodies, fire, and screams flash through his mind; a gust of wind hits him and Mingyu swears he can smell rot and ash.

The hand twitches and the images are gone as quickly as they’d come. Mingyu drops his trowel, rushing over to the pile and pulling at the wads of slimy green vegetation. He untangles a particularly large strand and stills, puzzled.

There’s a man stuck in the tangle, but that isn’t what’s puzzling Mingyu, the town has had their fair share of wash-ups since as long as he can remember. Mingyu blinks, remembering to hurry and pulls away more seaweed, leaning down and pressing his ear to the man’s bare chest, listening for breath.

It’s faint, but there, rasping wetly against Mingyu’s ear.

Mingyu places his hands over the man’s chest, pumping evenly, eyes trained on the man’s face to check for signs of stirring, even as tears well in his eyes and he has to squint through the blur.

“Please, please, come on, please don’t die.”

Mingyu’s close to giving up, arms burning as he tries to keep his rhythm steady, when the man coughs, water and bile streaming out of his mouth as he wheezes. The whites of his eyes flare, his face wild and panicked, before he goes limp, unconscious once more.

Mingyu sighs, wiping the tears and snot running down his face on a sleeve. He yanks the last of the seaweed off the man’s legs and stares tiredly after a fleeing crab, too exhausted to chase it.

The man’s chest is rising and falling evenly, ribs expanding in large enough breaths for Mingyu to see, so he takes it as a victory and stands, pulling his coat off. He lifts the man’s torso, swaddling him in his coat as best he can before gathering his legs and picking him up.

Mingyu staggers over to his basket, tossing his trowel in and squatting to grabbing the handle, maneuvering it over his wrist to sit in the crook of his elbow, pressed against the underside of the man’s knee.

The climb back up to Mingyu’s cabin goes slowly, as his new cargo is certainly not light, and carrying dead weight is never easy. He pauses to catch his breath, the morning winds passing through his sweater and leaving him shivering, stealing all of his warmth.

He looks down and falters. He’d tucked the man’s head against his shoulder, and with the sun finally clearing the low hanging clouds Mingyu can see his face, illuminated by the golden morning rays.

He’s beautiful, startlingly so, his face a striking mixture of sharp angles and soft curves. There’s a tiny mole on his cheek, near his nose, and it makes Mingyu think of the last of the stars he’d seen that morning. He shivers and Mingyu snaps out of his daze, taking long strides to clear the final distance back to his home.

The cats jump off the bed as Mingyu lays the man down, standing and stretching his burning arms out as they wind around his legs. Mingyu looks down into Jihoon’s blue eyes and shrugs,

“He was on the beach, in a pile of seaweed.”

Wonwoo jumps onto the bed, padding over and cautiously sniffing the man’s hair. He starts licking it, grooming the strangely sand colored strands with his tongue.

“That’s a good idea, actually.”

Mingyu fills his kettle to the brim, chucking another log in the stove for good measure and wincing at the heat that licks his frozen fingers as he shuts the furnace door. He downs a cup of water before stumbling to the bathroom, taking a washcloth from his linen closet and collecting his washbasin and a bar of soap to take back.

He pauses in front of the mirror, wincing at his reflection, he’s looked better.

There was a time when his cheeks weren’t quite as sunken from hunger, and his eyes didn’t have the same tremble of fear burning in the back of them; dark eyes that burn just slightly on the wrong side of sane, someone had said of them once.

He decides he shouldn’t dally and leaves his reflection, and his thoughts.

The kettle is whistling on the stove, Mingyu reaches for it, pausing just before grabbing the handle and whipping around to look for his oven mitt. He pulls the charred mitt on and fills his washbasin most of the way, adding a splash of cold water and lathering the soap in it, the soft foam slipping pleasantly around his hands.

He does his best to carry the basin over to the bed without spilling on the floorboards. Jihoon trails him, sniffing the basin with his little pink nose before jumping up and joining Wonwoo on the bed, snuggling into the black cat’s side as he continues to groom the man’s hair.

“I guess he’s friendly, if you like him that much already.”

Wonwoo’s tail twitches and Mingyu snorts, saturating his washcloth and squeezing out the excess. He starts wiping the man’s face, feeling a little embarrassed as he runs the cloth across his forehead and down over his cheek. He doesn’t see a huge need to wipe the man’s mouth, but he does anyway, letting a finger brush the chapped skin, the man’s warm breath puffing across Mingyu’s hand.

Mingyu settles into a rhythm, rinsing and rewetting the cloth every now and again, it helps his mind slip into pleasant emptiness, which keeps him from feeling too flustered as he cleans the more intimate parts of his guest.

That is until he rolls the man onto his side, his chest pressed against the man’s back to hold him steady. The sun chooses that moment to break through the clouds, warm light dappling the supple curves of the man’s back, his neck, and thighs, Mingyu’s face flames. 

He clears his throat and resumes wiping, a little more attentive to his strokes as they smooth across the man’s skin.

Mingyu peeks at where Jihoon is watching, his head resting on Wonwoo’s back, he feels judged,

“There’s more sand on this side…”

He can almost hear the cat laughing at him.

Mingyu finishes and stands, chucking the washcloth in the sink and hefting the basin out to the porch, where he tips it out, shaking it to encourage any residual sand to fall.

He sets it by the door when he comes back inside, he’ll clean it later.

He goes to stand by the bed, looking down at the unconscious man and sighing, hands on his hips,

“What happened to you?”

Mingyu jumps when the man’s abdomen spasms suddenly, his face twisting as he writhes, hands clawing at the air, his mouth gaping silently. Nervous that he’s going to hit something, Mingyu catches his arms and holds them still, caught off guard by how strongly the man struggles against his grasp.

“You’re ok, you’re ok.”

The man eventually stills, face growing lax as the nightmare leaves.

Mingyu sighs, patting the man’s arm absently,

“Maybe I should go to town. You need a doctor.”

An all too familiar dread starts pooling into Mingyu’s gut, he pushes it down, this isn’t a time for him to feel bad for himself. He stands and rifles through a drawer, searching for warm clothes.

It takes more effort than Mingyu had anticipated to dress someone while unconscious. 

He tries to roll the man under his blankets, but decides it’s too difficult and ends up laying his coat over him, frowning when he sees his bare feet poking out.

Mingyu rolls a pair of socks over the man’s feet, and for some reason it seems to him to be the strangest part of everything he’s done so far.

Jihoon jumps back on the bed, curling into the man’s side and purring, Mingyu pouts,

“Is he your favorite now?”

Jihoon’s ear twitches, Mingyu pouts harder, searching the floor for his other cat,

“At least I have Wonwoo… somewhere.”

Silence settles into the room and Mingyu realizes he’s stalling, he scuffs the floor with a booted foot,

“Ah… I should go.”

He jogs to the bathroom, pulling his comb through his hair until there’s only one stubborn cowlick remaining. As he moves to the door he shoves his hands in his pockets, checking for coins, he finds a couple and pulls them out, cracking his hand open nervously.

It’s not enough.

Mingyu sighs, scratching his head and glancing at Jihoon, who’s watching him from the bed, tail thwacking the blankets,

“Maybe Soon’s dad will give me a discount.”

The white cat yawns.

Mingyu shoves the coins back in his pocket, palms a little sweaty,

“Ok, ok, I’m going. Keep him safe.”

*

Thankfully the town isn’t very busy, it’s midmorning now, so most people are either working or in school.

Mingyu walks quickly, avoiding eye contact where possible.

A young mother is walking with her toddler, Mingyu thinks she looks a little familiar, maybe they went to school together.

He smiles as they pass, smoothing the front of his worn coat down anxiously.

She returns his smile woefully, taking her child’s hand and tugging him along a little faster, the boy’s round eyes fixed on Mingyu as he’s pulled away.

Mingyu’s hands clench against his coat, embarrassment burning high in his cheeks.

He practically runs the rest of the way, gaze fixed on the ground in front of him.

The only other people in the waiting room of the Kwon practice are an elderly couple. 

They smile at Mingyu as he settles into a chair, hands folding and unfolding themselves in his lap.

After a few minutes Soonyoung’s mother comes into the room softly, shutting the door carefully and turning to the old couple, her cheeks pushed up by her smile. It soothes the nervous flutter in Mingyu’s stomach.

She doesn’t notice Mingyu until she’s ushering the couple through the door, the old man turning and waving to him before passing through.

“Mingyu?”

Mingyu nods, feeling very small,

“Hi Mrs. Kwon.”

She looks him up and down, arms folding over her chest as she tuts,

“You’ve gotten so thin, I didn’t recognize you.”

Mingyu flushes.

“Are you here to see Soonyoung? He’ll be very happy to see you.”

Mingyu falters,

“Uh… yes, well I would really like to see him… but I think I may need to talk to Mr. Kwon actually.”

Mrs. Kwon’s smile shrinks, she looks Mingyu up and down again,

“Are you alright dear?”

Mingyu nods hurriedly,

“Yes… yes, I’m fine… I just… I have a problem.”

Mrs. Kwon’s toe begins to tap, the sound bouncing solidly on the polished floorboards. She beckons Mingyu over, looping an arm through his when he reaches her, and peering up,

“My goodness I forgot how tall you are.”

Mingyu laughs, letting himself be pulled into the office, a little surprised when they head through the door that separates the living quarters from the practice.

She deposits Mingyu on the sofa, wiping her hands on her apron and humming thoughtfully,

“I’ll go tell Soonyoung you’re here. His father’s operating on the old lady’s ear, so I’m not sure how long you’d have to wait on him. Is it urgent?”

Mingyu rubs his pants nervously, tears pricking his eyes,

“I don’t know… I found someone on the beach, unconscious, they need help.”

He speaks to the carpet, too scared to look up,

“They’re real I promise. He’s real, I carried him, he’s heavy…”

Mrs. Kwon is quiet, Mingyu peeks up, nails scraping against the grain of his pants, she’s watching him sadly.

“Of course he’s real dear… and he’s very lucky you found him.”

She walks over, rubbing comforting circles into Mingyu’s back and swiping a tear away with her thumb,

“I’ll get Soonyoung, he can help you if his father’s going to be too long.”

Mingyu sniffles, nodding, 

“And let me get you something to eat, you’re too thin.”

Mingyu nods, too busy trying not to cry to do much else. Mrs. Kwon smiles, patting his shoulder as she straightens, eyes soft.

Mingyu watches her leave, grateful that his stomach waits to rumble until the door is closed.

Mingyu can hear Soonyoung’s footsteps as they thump closer and closer to him, he laughs when he hears someone, probably Mrs. Kwon, yell at him to slow down.

He straightens up just as the door bursts open, Soonyoung barreling into the room, hardly slowing as he wraps Mingyu in a tight hug, slamming him against the back of the sofa so hard that it creaks.

“Gyu! It’s been so long! I missed you!”

He releases Mingyu, reaching up and squishing his cheeks, eyes disappearing into crescents as he beams,

“Aigoo, aigoo, little Gyu-gyu,” he squishes harder, giggling as Mingyu squirms, “You never visit your hyung anymore, leaving me here all by myself with my annoying family.”

Soonyoung drops his hands, voice pitching into a more normal register as he looks Mingyu up and down, eyes sharper than Mingyu’s ever seen them.

“Why are you so thin?”

“That’s what I said.”

Soonyoung’s mother tuts from the doorway, Mingyu pushes Soonyoung off his lap and stands to help her with the tray she’s carrying, she frowns at him,

“Sit, sit, I’m fine.”

Mingyu does as he’s told, perching carefully as Mrs. Kwon lowers the tray onto his lap. He looks into the bowl of short-rib stew and wants to cry, again.

“This is too much, I can’t.”

Mrs. Kwon’s toe starts tapping, Soonyoung huffs and picks up the rice bowl, taking Mingyu’s chopsticks and shoving a bite of rice in his mouth. 

Mingyu chews slowly, gaze flitting nervously between the two. He has to stifle a laugh when he realizes how similar their stern expressions are.

They both smile when Mingyu picks a piece of meat up, he closes his eyes as he chews, grinning when he hears Soonyoung giggle delightedly.

“We should feed you more often.”

Mrs. Kwon smiles,

“That’s a good idea Soon, I can start sending you over with food.”

Soonyoung nods, shoving another bite of rice in Mingyu’s mouth and watching him chew.

Mrs. Kwon leaves, telling Mingyu to feel free to ask for more as she shuts the door.

Mingyu swallows an enormous mouthful, clearing his throat as he turns to Soonyoung.

“I found someone on the beach this morning.”

Soonyoung nods, wiping something off the corner of Mingyu’s mouth with his thumb,

“Mom said. Do you think he washed up?”

Mingyu nods, gnawing on a bone,

“He was all tangled in a bunch of seaweed, I had to do the thing you showed me.”

He mimes pressing on someone’s chest, Soonyoung smiles,

“He woke up when he was coughing up water, but that’s it. He’s been unconscious the rest of the time.”

Soonyoung fiddles with a shirt sleeve, loosening the garter that’s holding it up his arm and unfolding it.

“Could you tell if he’d been in the water a while? Are any of his fingers blue?”

Mingyu picks up another rib,

“That’s the thing… He was unconscious, tangled in seaweed, and naked,” Soonyoung’s eyebrows shoot up, “but he wasn’t cold… well he wasn’t that cold, all his fingers and toes seem fine.”

Soonyoung watches Mingyu tear the meat off the bone,

“That’s strange.”

Mingyu nods, chewing thoughtfully,

“Yeah, it doesn’t make sense, does it?”

Soonyoung shakes his head, leaning into Mingyu and unrolling his other sleeve.

“Well, it sounds like he shouldn’t be in terrible shape, but someone should definitely look at him.”

He pulls his pocket watch out of his vest, frowning at it,

“Dad’s going to be working on the old lady’s ear for at least two more hours, so you finish eating, then we can go.”

Mingyu nods, picking up the rice bowl and spooning nearly half of it into his mouth. Soonyoung smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Seriously Gyu, we’ve been worrying about you. I’ve been worrying about you.”

Mingyu chews solemnly, taking another bite and avoiding Soonyoung’s worried gaze.

“You can always come by, really, my parents love you…” he snorts, “They probably love you more than they love me.”

Mingyu shakes his head, Soonyoung nudges him with an elbow.

They lapse into silence, Soonyoung leaning on Mingyu as he plows through his meal, cheeks happily full.

“I can’t believe they sold your house.”

Mingyu stops chewing, bitterness clawing up his throat. Soonyoung nuzzles his shoulder, his body warmth bleeding into Mingyu’s side.

“We’ll get them… one day. Make them give it all back.”

Mingyu toes the carpet, the red of it so faded that it’d become more of a raspberry hue. Soonyoung rubs his arm,

“Sorry, we don’t have to talk about it.”

Mingyu shrugs, licking his fingers and staring into the empty dishes. Soonyoung stands, taking the tray from Mingyu’s lap and waiting as he unfolds from the sofa.

They drop the dishes off in the kitchen, where Mrs. Kwon gives Mingyu a crate of carefully wrapped dishes, frowning when he opens his mouth to protest.

“You have a second mouth to feed now, and your cats, take the food.”

Mingyu nods, hefting the crate up to get a better grip, it’s heavy.

Mrs. Kwon smiles, eyes fond and a little teary,

“You’ve really grown up so well.”

Mingyu ducks his head, he can see Soonyoung smiling in the corner of his eye,

“Your parents would be so proud.”

Mingyu nods, stomach clenching as he stares at the tiles, Soonyoung pulls him out of the kitchen, expression carefully blank.

He’s led to an office. Soonyoung pulls a heavy bag out from under the desk, crossing the room in a couple short strides to take the coat that’s hanging from a hook on the door. He shrugs it on as Mingyu looks around, baffled.

“You have an office now?”

Soonyoung winks, winding a muffler around his neck clumsily,

“I do! I have my own patients too!”

Mingyu scoffs, Soonyoung whines, affronted,

“Dad checks on them after, but I get to see them first.”

“I bet the old ladies love that.”

Soonyoung shrugs, picking up his medicine bag and gesturing for Mingyu to lead the way,

“Just part of the job, but I actually only see little ones right now. I really like it.”

Mingyu watches him carefully, hefting the food crate up again, Soonyoung raises an eyebrow, puzzled.

“I’m just impressed hyung, it’s really amazing.”

Soonyoung laughs, the sound bright and boyish, a funny contrast to his heavy bag and formal coat, Mingyu beams.

*

Mingyu has to have Soonyoung open the door, the food crate being too cumbersome for Mingyu to maneuver easily.

He takes a deep breath, a little startled by how quickly his heart is racing.

Nothing has changed, the man is still asleep on Mingyu’s bed, the cats curled up next to him.

Mingyu sets the crate on his counter, sighing and stretching his arms towards the ceiling, groaning when his muscles scream at him.

He turns to find Soonyoung standing over his bed, his face a little pink,

“I thought he was going to be old, I don’t know why.”

Mingyu laughs, crossing the room to join Soonyoung, who’s still staring at the sleeping man, lower lip caught between his teeth.

“Yeah… I know.”

Soonyoung flushes, quickly ducking to pull his stethoscope out of his bag. Mingyu retreats and settles into a chair, chuckling when the cats wake, stretching and winding towards Soonyoung as he tries to gently shoo them away.

Soonyoung is a little awkward initially, rolling Mingyu’s bulky sweater up so he can listen to the man’s lungs. He quickly settles into his task, practice evident in the familiarity with which he carries out his exam. Mingyu feels proud and tells him so, chuckling when Soonyoung beams and flaps the compliment away.

He pulls an eyelid open, mouth puckering into a pout as he moves to the other eye. Mingyu sits up a bit, waiting.

Soonyoung doesn’t speak until he’s finished his exam, carefully rolling Mingyu’s socks back onto the man’s feet,

“He’s honestly in really good shape all things considered.”

He sinks into the chair opposite Mingyu, unbuttoning his collar and slouching,

“I’ll have to do another checkup when he wakes up, his pupils are a little large.”

Mingyu waits, Soonyoung smiles,

“It could be from being in the cold water too long, or it could be a concussion… or it could be nothing, it’s hard to say when he can’t tell me anything.”

Mingyu nods, turning to his bed, happy that he can see the steady rise and fall of the man’s chest.

Soonyoung hums, propping his chin on a hand,

“I wonder who he is… and what happened.”

Mingyu nods,

“He can’t be a sailor, he doesn’t have enough scars or tattoos for that.”

Soonyoung hums in agreement,

“Yeah, by that logic he can’t be a soldier either.”

He frowns, eyebrows knitting together as he thinks. Mingyu chuckles, reaching across the table and pushing Soonyoung’s brows apart.

“You want tea?”

Soonyoung sighs, digging his pocket watch out and glaring at it mournfully,

“I would absolutely love tea, but I have a patient in a half hour, so I should really head back.”

Mingyu whines, pouting as Soonyoung stands, pulling his coat on and coiling his muffler around his neck. He moves to Mingyu’s bed, tucking his stethoscope back into his bag and staring down at the man contemplatively,

“Let me know when he wakes up, and if anything changes, come get me.”

Mingyu nods, digging in his pockets for his coins, Soonyoung stares, frowning,

“Gyu, you don’t have to pay me. You never have to pay me.”

Mingyu flushes, Soonyoung sighs, crossing the room to wrap Mingyu in a hug.

“Let me know when you need something… anything.”

Mingyu nods, fingers grazing the course fabric of Soonyoung’s overcoat.

Soonyoung leaves and Mingyu sits at the table again, the small space of the room suddenly feeling cavernous.

He can hear the ocean and the tinkling of his wind chimes, but instead of soothing him the sounds twist the knot in his gut tighter.

Wonwoo leaps onto the table, purring as Mingyu strokes his cheek,

“I’m lonely Woo-ya.”

The cat nuzzles his hand, Mingyu smiles, cooing,

“I’m happy you and your brother stayed.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The man wakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel sorry for Mingyu's back

Mingyu wakes just as the sky is beginning to lighten, rolling over and groaning as his body protests, angry from a night spent on the floor. He looks over, jumping when he finds a pair of deep brown eyes staring back at him.

The man smiles, stroking Wonwoo, who’s sleeping in his lap.

Mingyu stares, a little frozen by shock. He shakes his head, tripping as he pushes himself out of his pile of blankets to stand.

The man watches, eyes wide, he looks nervous. Mingyu smooths his sleep shirt down, clearing the groggy lump in his throat,

“Hello… uh, I’m glad you’re awake.”

He doesn’t get a response,

“I’ll get you some water, you’re probably thirsty.”

Mingyu bangs into nearly every piece of furniture he owns as he rushes clumsily to the sink, filling the nearest glass almost to the brim before turning carefully.

The man watches him approach, looking down and smiling fondly when Wonwoo wiggles in his lap.

He takes the cup cautiously, holding it awkwardly and looking between it and Mingyu with a slight frown.

Mingyu falters, confused,

“It should be ok to drink.”

The man cocks his head, the glass sloshing dangerously as it slips down in his grip. Mingyu grabs it, smiling apologetically at Wonwoo as he wakes and shakes the spill off his head. He jumps off the bed, the man watches, smiling.

Mingyu looks at the glass in his hands, then back at the man on his bed,

“Do you need help?”

The man cocks his head again, eyebrows knitting together as Mingyu sighs,

“Here.”

Mingyu cups the man’s chin gently, pressing the glass to his lips and tilting it. The man frowns, his mouth opens a sliver and Mingyu tilts the glass, jumping back when the man chokes, water spraying down his chest.

Mingyu rubs his back as he coughs, utterly out of his depth. When his coughing subsides he tries again, hands even gentler than the first time.

“Say ah— open your mouth.”

He opens his mouth a crack and the man does the same. Mingyu has to hold his chin as he brings the glass to his lips, shushing him as the man’s long fingers dig into his shirt, panicked.

“Swallow, come on… it’s just water.”

Mingyu watches the man’s adam’s apple bob, heaving a sigh of relief as he grabs Mingyu’s hand and drains the glass in one go. He looks up at Mingyu, eyes wide as he catches his breath.

Mingyu flushes, suddenly hyperaware of the hand that’s cupping the man’s chin. The man blinks and Mingyu clears his throat, moving back an inch and wiping the man’s mouth with the back of his hand.

“More?”

The man doesn’t respond, but Mingyu takes it as a yes and crosses the room quickly, refilling the cup to the brim and rushing back to the bed.

The man gulps down the second glass, hands covering Mingyu’s as he tips the cup up, some of the water spilling down his chin.

Mingyu giggles as he watches the man’s chest heave, wiping his face with the collar of his sweater, tongue poking out as he does his best to ignore the man’s stare.

Mingyu straightens, rubbing his aching back and studying his guest, who’s kneading Mingyu’s blanket,

“You can’t talk, can you?”

The man smiles, cocking his head a little, Mingyu giggles, reaching out to pet the man’s hair,

“That’s ok, I think I understand.”

The man reaches up, smoothing his hand over Mingyu’s and smiling timidly.

“Are you hungry?”

The man blinks, Mingyu mimes eating, frowning when all he gets is a confused tilt of the head,

“I’ll heat up some food, you just stay in bed.”

He pats the man’s leg, nibbling his lower lip as he heads to the stove. He’ll have to let Soonyoung know that the man’s awake, maybe he hit his head and that’s why he can’t talk.

Mingyu unwraps several of Mrs. Kwon’s dishes, smiling when he opens one of the pots to find it filled with chicken porridge. He sets it on the stove, chucking another log in and looking around for a spoon.

A thud makes Mingyu jump. He turns, heart hammering as he spots the crumpled lump on the floor.

The man sits up as Mingyu runs over, rubbing his hip and staring at his legs, perplexed.

Mingyu kneels, rubbing the man’s side as he gently untangles his blankets from his legs, flushing as he’s met with an eyeful of smooth, bare skin. Getting pants on while he’d been unconscious had ended up being too difficult, something that Mingyu now regrets.

“You can’t stand?”

The man grabs his shirt, pulling Mingyu down as he tries to haul himself up, frowning when he collapses. 

Mingyu watches the muscles in the man’s forearms move as he releases his shirt, sighing when he looks up and finds the man staring at him sadly, big eyes slightly glassy.

He tucks his hands under the man’s arms, hoisting him up as he stands, the man’s grip strong around his neck,

“You can try again after you eat, let’s get you back in bed.”

The man huffs next to his ear, his sharp chin digging into Mingyu’s shoulder. He tries to get his feet under him again, his arms locked around Mingyu as his knees buckle and he stumbles, dragging Mingyu along as he falls back onto the bed.

Mingyu grunts as they bounce, his shin hitting the bed frame painfully.

He tries to stand up and falters, reaching up with one hand to pry the man’s arms away while the other supports his weight, tucked up against the man’s side.

The man stares, mouth opening wordlessly as he pants, arms falling to the bed. His hair fans across the sheets, the auburn strands flaming into gold where they’re touched by the sun. Mingyu reaches down, hand smoothing along his side as he watches the man’s tongue dart across his upper lip, the fullness of his cupid’s bow catching Mingyu’s eye as he watches the movement.

Mingyu vaguely registers the warm smoothness of bare skin under his hand and looks down, flushing and pulling his hand back from where it’d slid under his sweater, the entirety of the man’s body exposed below where the hem had been pushed up to his ribcage.

Mingyu darts off the bed, face burning as the man’s legs close into the empty space he leaves. The man blinks at him, face void of any of the embarrassment that explodes in Mingyu’s gut as he picks his blankets off the floor and covers him.

Bubbling from the stove saves him and Mingyu turns away, rubbing his chest absently as he tries desperately not the think about the feeling of the man’s body under him.

*

Feeding his guest goes more smoothly than Mingyu anticipates, though he does have to constantly remind the man to chew, fingers darting to his chin to prompt his jaw to move.

Mingyu drops the spoon into the empty bowl, smiling as the man swallows the last bite of his third serving. There’s a little tinge of pink in his cheeks and he jumps when Mingyu pinches him gently,

“See? The food did you good.”

Mingyu stands, dragging his chair back to the table and setting the dishes in the sink,

“We should go see Soonyoung. I’d go get him, but I don’t want to leave you here alone.”

He turns, leaning against the sink, the man watches him from the bed, rubbing his legs absently. Mingyu looks away, the light from the window leaving an afterimage of the man’s silhouette behind his eyelids.

He goes to his drawers, finding a pair of thick knit trousers and turning to the bed, heart hammering just a beat faster as he approaches slowly.

The man lets him pull the blankets down, nibbling his lip as Mingyu takes his ankle in his hand, lifting his leg and guiding a pant leg on. He keeps his eyes on his work as he gets the other leg on, watching with blunted horror as his thumb caresses the bone on the inside of the man’s ankle.

Mingyu rolls the pants up as high as he can, cursing mentally as he realizes he’ll have to get the man’s hips off the bed to pull them up all the way.

“Can you… um.”

The man smiles, Mingyu’s stomach flutters uncomfortably. He moves up the bed, propping a knee on the mattress for balance and maneuvering the man’s arms around his neck, wrapping an arm around his waist. The man blinks and the butterflies in Mingyu’s stomach swarm into his chest. He tightens his grip when Mingyu pats his arm, grunting as he lifts the man and yanks the pants up.

Mingyu manages not to fall this time, and he’s pretty proud of himself. He grins and the man beams, eyes curving into cheerful crescents.

“Good job, great teamwork.”

The man’s hands slide along Mingyu’s shoulders as he releases him, he pinches Mingyu’s cheek and laughs silently as Mingyu jumps, his breath puffing out his nose in short bursts. Mingyu pouts, but he can’t keep it up for very long, lips pulling into a toothy grin.

The man looks pleased, Mingyu notices the flush that’s back in his cheeks and stands quickly, feeling his own flush creep up the back of his neck.

He shifts from foot to foot, smoothing his hair back awkwardly,

“I guess we should go now.”

*

They manage to make it all the way to Soonyoung’s without seeing anyone. Something which Mingyu thinks is a minor miracle as he hoists the man up again, his legs heavy in Mingyu’s hands, the warmth of his body bleeding through Mingyu’s sweater.

Mingyu stumbles into the waiting room, setting the man down as carefully as he can and pulling his coat off. The man’s eyes are wide as he looks around, hands tucked under his legs, Mingyu pats his shoulder, smiling apologetically before walking to the door and ringing the bell.

Mingyu sits in the chair next to the man, watching him shrink in on himself, eyes darting around the room anxiously.

“It’ll be ok, these are my friends.”

The man pouts, brows furrowing as he somehow shrinks even further into Mingyu’s sweater. Mingyu sighs, leaning over and pulling the man into his chest, rubbing his arm in what he hopes are comforting circles.

Mingyu watches the second hand tick on the clock on the opposite wall, mind going blank as his eyes follow the rhythmic movement.

The door opens and Soonyoung grins, smile suddenly growing shy as he peeks behind Mingyu,

“He’s awake! I was hoping it’d be you.”

He crosses the room, tugging the bottom of his vest and clicking his heels before beaming down at the man, who’s clinging to Mingyu’s arm.

“Hi, I’m Soonyoung, I’m Mingyu’s friend.”

The man’s mouth opens and closes soundlessly, his cheeks tinging pink as Soonyoung watches, perplexed.

Mingyu pries the man’s hands off his arm gently, letting him hold his hand when he doesn’t let go,

“Uh, hyung, he can’t talk.”

Soonyoung’s brows furrow, he moves a little closer and the man shrinks back in his seat, his grip crushing Mingyu’s hand.

“It’s ok, I’m a doctor.”

Mingyu huffs out a chuckle, Soonyoung glares,

“Well, almost… I will be soon.”

They all jump as the door opens again. Soonyoung’s mother smiles, peering around Mingyu and Soonyoung to look at the man, who’s gone back to clinging to Mingyu’s arm.

“Oh! Well aren’t you handsome!”

“Mom!”

Mrs. Kwon beams, cheeks pushing her eyes into happy crescents as she smiles at her son.

“I don’t know why I thought he’d be older.”

Soonyoung rolls his eyes, Mingyu tries not to laugh.

“Well, let’s get you to an exam room so I can give you a proper checkup.”

Mingyu stands, reaching for the man and smiling as he feels strong arms wrap around his neck. Soonyoung and Mrs. Kwon stare, eyes darting between the two. Mingyu flushes, hoisting the man up and ignoring the way his heart flutters when he buries his head in his neck.

“He can’t stand, he tried earlier and fell.”

Soonyoung frowns, expression settling into a careful calm as he leads them out of the waiting room and down the hall that houses his office. Mrs. Kwon sighs, giving Mingyu’s shoulder a pat as he passes by, hovering in the hall,

“Soon, do you want me to get your dad?”

Soonyoung sighs, the breath traveling in and out of his chest at a slow, even pace,

“I don’t know yet, I’ll get him if I have to.”

Mrs. Kwon nods, smiling cautiously at the man before shutting the door.

Mingyu sets the man on the padded exam table, keeping a hand on his back and watching Soonyoung move around the room, gathering various instruments in a tray,

“Are you worried?”

The muscles in Soonyoung’s jaw jump, he sets the tray down and begins rolling his sleeves up, turning the faucet on and washing his hands thoroughly,

“I wouldn’t be a good doctor... or friend, if I scared you, but it is a little disconcerting that he can’t talk or stand, yes.”

Mingyu sighs, equal parts impressed and intimidated by his friend’s shift in demeanor.

Soonyoung grabs a stool, sliding it over and sitting in front of the man, smiling warmly as he peers up,

“So, I’m just going to do a couple of tests, nothing too scary, nothing too painful.”

He takes Mingyu’s hand,

“If anything hurts or gets too scary I want you to pinch him and he’ll tell me.”

Mingyu yelps, Soonyoung chuckles, taking the man’s hand and passing Mingyu’s to him.

Soonyoung takes the man’s free hand, turning it over and pressing his thumb to his pulse point, pulling out his pocket watch and waiting. He jots something down and smiles, adjusting his stethoscope as he stands,

“I’m going to listen to your lungs, I have to touch you, ok?”

The man blinks, Mingyu strokes the back of his hand with his thumb, flushing when Soonyoung catches the movement and smirks. 

Mingyu looks away when Soonyoung rolls his sweater up, pressing his stethoscope into two spots on the man’s chest and another four on his back, he straightens, chuckling as Mingyu peeks over,

“Your lungs sound nice and clear, that’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?”

The man looks down at his chest as Soonyoung rolls the sweater back down, pulling the stethoscope out of his ears and turning to take a small flashlight from the tray. He holds it up like a pencil, pointing to the tip and moving it in a little circle, eyes fixed on the man’s face.

“Good, keep following it, head still.”

Soonyoung moves the flashlight in a cross shape, hand resting on the man’s chin to keep him from turning. He hums and pulls his hand back, dropping them to his sides and smiling, bringing his chin to his chest,

“Can you do this for me?”

The man frowns, but mimics Soonyoung, wincing a little as his chin meets his chest. Soonyoung hums and makes another note, turning the flashlight in his hand and clicking it on, holding the man’s eyelids open as he shines it in his eyes.

The man winces, rubbing his eyes as Soonyoung sets the flashlight back in the tray and smiles as he picks up something that looks like a delicate hammer,

“I’m sorry, that was pretty bright, wasn’t it? Not so fun.”

He scoots back over, patting the man’s knees before tapping them, lips pursing into a pout as his legs kick out.

Mingyu frowns,

“Is that bad?”

Soonyoung blinks at him, Mingyu can see the cogs turning behind his eyes,

“No… no, that’s good.”

Soonyoung scoots back to his notepad, his scrawl completely illegible as he makes a couple more notes,

“Mingyu?”

Mingyu nods, then realizes Soonyoung hasn’t looked up,

“Yes?”

“He’s eating ok?”

Mingyu looks down at the man, who’s picking at the hem of his sweater,

“Yeah, he ate three bowls of your mom’s porridge.”

Soonyoung giggles,

“Yeah, that stuff’s good. It’s the sesame oil, white pepper pairing.”

He trails off, pen scraping away,

“So you’d say he probably isn’t having any episodes of dizziness or nausea?”

Mingyu frowns,

“I don’t think so… I don’t know what happened when he fell though, I didn’t see.”

Soonyoung hums, screwing the cap back on his pen and turning, eyes sharp.

“I’d like to try and get him to stand. I think he can.”

Mingyu falters, squeezing the man’s hand and flushing when he looks up, his big eyes wide, but less panicked than before. Soonyoung hums again and Mingyu’s flush creeps higher,

“We’ll hold on to him the whole time, and it won’t be for long.”

Mingyu nods, keeping his eyes trained on Soonyoung as he scoots back towards them.

They each take a side, Mingyu’s arm mindlessly wraps around the man’s waist and Soonyoung giggles again, Mingyu ignores him.

The man seems to understand as they lift him from the exam table, stretching his legs towards the floor, determination settling into his features.

They spend a long time standing with the man’s arms draped over them, Mingyu’s shoulder starts to ache. When they finally release him, hovering close, Mingyu holds his breath.

The man wobbles, legs shaking under him like the spindly limbs of a newborn colt. He beams, jaw clenched as his legs tremble.

Soonyoung grins, ducking back under an arm and wrapping a supportive arm around his waist, waiting as Mingyu does the same.

The man’s sides surge against Mingyu’s arm as he catches his breath, he smiles up at Mingyu, cheeks dusting pink as Mingyu grins back. Behind him Mingyu can see Soonyoung roll his eyes, though he’s grinning too.

“Well done.”

*

With a lot of persuading, and promise to let him check on the cats, Soonyoung gets Mingyu to agree to stay for a few nights, setting up the recovery room at the back of the house for the two of them.

That night they’re all in the parlor, Mingyu and Soonyoung reading as Mr. and Mrs. Kwon sit by the radio. The man is leaning heavily into Mingyu’s side, his feet pulled up on the sofa cushions as he stares into space.

Mingyu hasn’t turned a page in quite a while, peeking over at the man’s profile when he’s sure he isn’t looking.

His eyes are soft, shining as they reflect the flickering from the fireplace. In the changing light his features spin towards delicate, his large eyes and plush lips drawing Mingyu’s eye, the line of his jaw softening and bringing attention to the graceful length of his neck.

He turns and Mingyu freezes, the air in his lungs sucked into the rich darkness of his brown eyes. Mingyu swears he can hear a voice humming, clear as crystal in the back of his head.

It’s wordless, but he knows it’s calling for him.

Mingyu gasps as Soonyoung’s elbow digs into his side, flushing as the man smiles and turns away again, cheeks an alluring shade of pink.

“If you stare any harder your eyes might fall out.”

Mingyu pouts, rubbing his chest in an attempt to calm his hammering heart, Soonyoung snorts,

“You’re so transparent.”

Mingyu opens his mouth to protest, but can’t come up with anything and shuts his mouth.

“You sure you’re ok with sleeping in the cot?”

Mingyu frowns,

“Yeah, why?”

Soonyoung smirks, eyes flashing impishly,

“You could ask to share the bed, I don’t think he’d mind.”

Mingyu elbows him, his pulse picking up again as glances over nervously, only to find that the man had fallen asleep, Mingyu sighs.

Soonyoung peers around him, smile warming when he spots the man’s sleeping face, voice losing all of it’s teasing bite,

“I guess we should get him to bed.”

Mingyu follows Soonyoung to the room, groaning as he sets the man on the bed, he stretches as Soonyoung tucks the man in, startling a little when his joints pop loudly.

“I don’t think I’ve used my arms so much in ages.”

Soonyoung chuckles,

“Ah it’s good for you, keeps you balanced.”

He yawns and stretches towards the ceiling, Mingyu coos, Soonyoung glares,

“I’m heading to bed, feel free to knock if you need anything.”

Mingyu nods, following him to the door and waving as he disappears down the hall. He shuts the door and turns, leaning against the solid wood and staring out the windows.

The recovery room was the original house’s second parlor, slightly smaller than the first but with gorgeous french pane windows that meet the ceiling, allowing for a full view of the garden during the day and an impressive display of stars at night.

Mingyu sighs, memories tickling the back of his mind. He pushes them down and moves to the cot, pushing his shoes off with his feet and sighing as he sinks in.

Sleep doesn’t come easily, Mingyu is a good deal too long for the cot, his feet sticking awkwardly off the edge. He shakes them every once in a while, trying to evade the pins and needles that start to prick him.

Mingyu glances at the bed, stomach rolling as he listens to the gentle rhythm of the man’s breathing.

It almost sends him to sleep, but then Mingyu shifts and the crick in his neck twinges. He groans, trying to roll over further and failing.

After an undetermined amount of time spent tossing and turning Mingyu gives up, hoisting himself out of the cot and crossing the room quietly, shutting the door as gently as he can.

Soonyoung grumbles when he opens his door, blinking up at Mingyu groggily. He sighs and opens his door further, beckoning Mingyu in.

He chuckles hoarsely when Mingyu collapses onto his bed, stretching his legs as far as they can go and wiggling his toes.

“Hey, Gyu?”

Mingyu turns, barely able to make out Soonyoung’s silhouette in the dim,

“What do you think he is?”

Mingyu frowns, he hadn’t thought Soonyoung had noticed,

“I don’t know, did you hear him?”

Soonyoung sighs,

“Yeah, I did… his voice is beautiful.”

Mingyu nods, clearing his throat and rolling onto his back, staring towards the ceiling, the man’s song ringing through his head. Soonyoung sighs again, patting Mingyu’s shoulder as he snuggles into his pillow,

“Goodnight Gyu…”

Mingyu hums.

“Be careful…”

That night Mingyu dreams of the undertow, the current pulling him towards a crystalline darkness. Where a beautiful voice calls for him with such clarity that it resonates in his bones.

**Author's Note:**

> Like everything else I write, this just happened... I will update...
> 
> Did I write this purely for Soonyoung in sleeve garters........ maybe


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